There’s a lot of mountains to explore. Some of our favorites are in California, land of sun, surf, and… granite? That’s right — California is home to some of the most beautiful and challenging mountains in the northern hemisphere, from glacier-carved monsters soaring to 14,000 feet, to craggy, volcanic summits straight from Lord of the Rings. Our friends at Front Runner were mapping out their “Find Anywhere” series, and wanted a few climbing-focused pieces for use in their international campaigns. After heading down to Agoura Hills for a meetup, storyboard, and truck buildout, we motored up the 395, gateway to the Eastern Sierra. 

As the Sierra unfolded before us, we pulled off and spotted a free-standing spire. After a little careful driving, we managed to roll right up to the base, hopping out of the truck for easy-access cragging with a special view: looming in the background was Mt. Whitney, tallest peak in the lower 48. We made camp below the stars, cooking up a classic veggie stew before climbing into the rooftop tents for some slumber.

For days 2 and 3, we rolled north to Mammoth Lakes, gateway to the interior Sierra and home of the famous Mammoth Mountain. In a rare break from the wildfire smoke of California summer, we popped out of our aspen-clad campground and headed for the high country, lugging a RED camera and a drone up to 11,000 feet above sea level for a never-before-seen look at the intimidating and bright-white Crystal Crag. Scrambling up to the summit, the wind dropped for a perfect moment, slowing enough for me to stand atop the tiny sparkling precipice above the town I called home for 2 years. With the built-out, adventure ready Tacoma, and some elbow grease, we could truly “climb anywhere,” but for now, this felt just right.